Shot Blasting for Balcony Restoration
Owners of balconies or balustrades benefit from the extra space they provide to enjoy the summer sun or dine alfresco.
Balconies however need maintaining, and due to the fact that they are permanent fixtures and cannot easily be removed, shot blasting techniques can be required to prepare surfaces for repainting and finishing.
There are many different materials used in balcony construction, such as wood, glass, and metal. A period home however is more than likely to have a wrought iron balcony as well as other iron features such as a verandah or a spiral staircase. Wrought iron has been used for centuries in outdoor constructions due to its excellent toughness and durability. Over time however, a balcony that has been left unattended can start to look old, rust, or even become unsafe.
There are many techniques used in balcony restoration, shot blasting being an excellent method by which to prepare the surface of the metal for repainting. Shot blasting and sand blasting are used in many different metal industries, such as the preparation of car parts and aircraft, permitting the application of perfect paintwork on a surface that is smooth and free from all imperfections.
Shot blasting uses pressure or electric power to blast pellets at high speed towards a metal surface; the pellets will remove any imperfections from the metal and in the case of metal restoration, will remove unwanted paint, rust, and grime.
A shot blaster can be hired for personal use, but it is highly recommended that professional balcony restoration experts are used as shot blasting is dangerous when not carried out correctly and without the necessary safety gear.
In order to restore a wrought iron balcony or spiral staircase, a shot blasting team that uses mobile shot blasting techniques will be required as it is generally not possible to dismantle the balcony and take it to a workshop in order for it to be prepared for painting. Mobile shot basting should only ever be carried out by a professional team who are familiar with the safety measures that are necessary, including the necessary steps to make the balcony safe if it has been neglected.
Where possible, it is better to conserve and restore these features as wrought iron ornamental work can add not just aesthetic appeal but also value to a property.
--Classic Ironworks 07:55, 16 May 2015 (BST).
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Balcony repairs for period homes.
- Shot Blasting for Balcony Restoration.
Featured articles and news
Introducing or next Guest Editor Arun Baybars
Practising architect and design panel review member.
Quick summary by size, shape, test, material, use or bonding.
Types of rapidly renewable content
From forestry to agricultural crops and their by-products.
Terraced houses and the public realm
The discernible difference between the public realm of detached housing and of terraced housing.
Put digitalisation and sustainability at the core of curricula
Project management educators are urged.
Looking back at the influence of climate events
From a designer and writer: 'There are limits to growth but no limits to development'.
Terms, histories, theories and practice.
Biophilic design and natural light
Letting in the light and natural elements into spaces.
APM Programme Management Conference 2024
Strategies for Success.
Residential takes the reins as contract awards even out
Contracts down, but remain above the last quarter of 2023.
Celebrating Eid and the largest mud-brick building.
Barry Kingscote claims prestigious CIOB CMYA Award.
The British Mosque: an architectural and social history
The story of some 1,500 mosques or more in Britain.
Heat pump refrigerants, efficiencies and impacts
R12 to R1270 what are the differences?
Global heat pump market in 2023
Challenging times with positive but modest outlook.
Beyond the infrastructure pipeline
Opportunities and chokepoints.